Lab Rats to Unicorns

phew, huh, pssh, hmm….hard to maintain a cool composure for this week’s guest…dr. omar farha is an ESTEEMED scientist with an unwavering passion for advancing the field of chemistry and fostering innovation. he completed those undergrad studies at fullerton college before pursuing his PHD at UCLA, where he specialized in inorganic chemistry. dr. farha's remarkable career at northwestern university has seen him rise to the rank of professor of chemistry, making groundbreaking contributions in the realm of metal-organic frameworks and porous materials. alongside his academic TRIUMPHS, Dr. Farha is the co-founder and chief science officer at NuMat technologies, where his expertise plays a pivotal role in driving cutting-edge research. moreover & over, he is an advisory board member for several prestigious journals and institutions, including the journal of the american chemical society (shooot). in today's discussion, i’d say we are preettyy fortunate to delve into dr. farha's inspiring journey and the profound impact of his impressive accomplishments.

y’all… even we aren’t ready for this superstar… Dr. Courtney Law is a career scientist with remarkable achievements that exemplify her dedication to impacting human health. Law received her B.S. in Chemistry & Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences and Medicinal Chemistry & Natural Products from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. after completing her postdoctoral fellowship at North Carolina Central University, she worked as a Tech Transfer intern at North Carolina State University. currently, Dr. Law leads Biolocity, where she “help[s] all Emory University and Georgia Institute of Technology faculty develop new biomedical innovations with commercial potential.” we are humbled and honored to be able to discuss Dr. Law’s current work at Biolocity and her passion for human health in this episode!

We appreciate & cherish Suna Lumeh for cohosting this interview. She is deeply connected to Atlanta's life science ecosystem and is a driver of growth. Learn more about her here: https://www.portalinnovations.com/team-page/

We had the great privilege of being joined by two exceptional guests from Northwestern University for this live episode! And to make it even better, Kevin O’Connor joined the conversation as a co-host! First, let us introduce Dr. Richard B. Silverman, an esteemed medicinal chemist and dedicated educator, who holds the title of Patrick G. Ryan/Aon Professor of Chemistry. Dr. Silverman's research focuses on the design and development of pharmaceuticals, and he is notably the creator of the blockbuster drug pregabalin, sold under the brand name Lyrica. He is also the founder of Akava Therapeutics, Inc. –– a company committed to bringing innovative treatments to patients.

Our second guest is the trailblazing neuroscientist, Dr. Hande Ozdinler, an Associate Professor of Neurology at Northwestern University. Dr. Ozdinler is dedicated to unraveling the mysteries of neurodegenerative diseases, with her research centered on understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying motor neuron diseases such as ALS. She is also a passionate advocate for raising awareness and funds for ALS research.

In this episode, we're thrilled to explore the inspiring journeys, tireless efforts, and profound impact of both Dr. Silverman and Dr. Ozdinler in their respective fields. We will be particularly looking at Akava Therapeutics, diving into Dr. Silverman’s inspiration behind it, and learning what it takes for an idea to change lives. 

okie okie we can’t contain our excitement fr!!! maria thacker goethe is equally deeply committed to her important non-profit work & the development of biotechnology ecosystems!!! thacker goethe received her B.A from Sweet Briar College before attending Tulane School of Public Health & Tropical Medicine where she studied health marketing/communications & maternal & child health. thacker goethe’s dedication is notable; she has worked at georgia bio for almost seventeen years,,, climbing the ranks from marketing, project, & membership manager to president & ceo. additionally, she is a board member of the CJD Foundation & the American Red Cross of Georgia. we are like,,, truly!!! really!!! so lucky to discuss her experience in non-profit & impressive accolades in this episode!!! Wahoo!

We appreciate & cherish Suna Lumeh for cohosting this interview. She is deeply connected to Atlanta's life science ecosystem and is a driver of growth. Learn more about her here: https://www.portalinnovations.com/team-page/

lol like how are some people just... able 2 do everything... like omg... Kyyah Abdul is a multi-talented and deeply passionate leader in public health who has not gone unnoticed!!! Abdul received her Bachelor's from the University of New Haven in Biology concentrated in Pre-Medical Studies and her Master's in Public Health from Charles R. Drew University concentrated in urban healthcare disparities. abdul has had a lengthy and notable career in regulatory aairs,,, working at institutions and organizations such as Yale University, Genentech/Roche, Pfizer, Amgen and Bristol Meyer Squibb (omg??). She founded (yeah. that too) Career Savage,,, a platform providing college students with career advice. Abdul recently released her book, The Prepared Graduate, dedicated to "helping students and young professionals navigate their road to ultimate career success." (tysm) it is truly truly such an honor to discuss how she has balanced her career with her other accolades !!

we’re honestly taken aback by this one… truly in awe… Nakia Melecio is truly a leader, uniquely juxtaposing his skills to help researchers commercialize in the sciences. Melecio received his B.A in Cognitive Science & a Master’s in education/teaching, learning & educational technology from Ashford University before receiving his Ph.D. from The University of Arizona Global Campus. Melecio is currently a senior research faculty member at Georgia Institute of Technology, an adjunct faculty professor at Morehouse School of Medicine, energy I-Corps instructor, & more. he volunteers as an inclusive tech entrepreneurship program (ITEP) mentor at Georgia Tech, ad-hoc proposal reviewer at the National Science Foundation, & mentor defense innovation accelerator at National Security Innovation Network. he has swathes of experience that we are so lucky to be able to delve into during this episode!!!

We appreciate & cherish Suna Lumeh for cohosting this interview. She is deeply connected to Atlanta's life science ecosystem and is a driver of growth. Learn more about her here: https://www.portalinnovations.com/team-page/

Evonne Sepsis dedicates herself to the continued growth of the life sciences ecosystem. Sepsis received her undergraduate degree from Northwestern University and her MBA from the Yale School of Management. She started her career in investment banking at Salomon Brothers, was then the head of investment banking at Susquehanna Financial Group, and was Managing Director at C.E. Unterberg, Towbin. In 2008, Sepsis founded ESC Advisors, a boutique advisory firm focused on emerging companies in the life sciences ecosystem. Sepsis has had such a notable career, and we are excited to talk to her about how she did it and who she is!

okay… like… this is really really BIG!!! Dr. Dennis Liotta is the physical manifestation of true diligence, dedication, & commitment. Liotta obtained his Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the City University of New York in 1974. following this, he dedicated himself to drug discovery & is recognized as “one of the premier discoverers of novel therapeutics in the United States.” he is noted as authoring over 300 peer-reviewed articles, holds the inventorship to over 100 patents, his innovations have created at least 18 life-saving FDA treatments, & has co-founded more than 10 pharmaceutical companies. notably, Liotta’s research has been truly innovative in furthering HIV/AIDS research; Emory University Office of Technology Transfer estimates that 95% of people living with HIV/AIDS have taken a drug co-invented by Dr. Liotta!!! woah.. like really… woah… we are truly so lucky to be able to discuss his research & dedicated experience in drug discovery on this episode!!!

We appreciate & cherish Suna Lumeh for cohosting this interview. She is deeply connected to Atlanta's life science ecosystem and is a driver of growth. Learn more about her here: https://www.portalinnovations.com/team-page/

whew… this one is… just. wow. D. Gayathri Srinivasan’s career and research accomplishments are truly remarkable. Srinivasan received her Ph.D. from The Ohio State University in Microbiology. She then headed to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to serve as a postdoctoral fellow before serving as a Technology Licensing Associate there. she served as an Executive Board Member of M2D2 at the University of Massachusetts at Lowell. she currently serves as Managing Executive Director at the Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations at Emory University. joining us also on this episode is edie Stringfellow!!! edie Stringfellow is truly vehemently committed to developing ecosystems and it shows. Stringfellow received her Bachelor’s in communications & business management from Illinois State University before attending Boston College and receiving her Master’s in international relations and affairs. her professional career is more than impressive; she’s served as Practice Development Manager for Nutter, as Senior Business Development Consultant at The Dolan Company, and as Senior Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at MassBio. she now serves as Vice President of Ecosystem Development at the Center for Global Health Innovation. we r so impressed we dk what to do, but we are so excited to speak with them both and discuss their achievements!!!

Victor Pascucci III is a cofounder and Managing General Partner at Energy Capital Ventures and is a passionately devoted career venture capitalist and strategic investor. He received his BA in Communications from Bowling Green State University and his law degree from the University of Toledo. Pascucci has extensive career experience, ranging from vast board membership and advising experience to an almost decade-long career at USAA Financial Services. And before starting ECV, he was the Managing Director at Lightbank, a Chicago based tech venture fund founded by Eric Lefkofsky and Brad Keywell. Vic and I are good friends and I am eager to share his story with our listeners. Vic, welcome to the podcast!